The Pakistan Cricket Board lodged a formal complaint with Sky Sports and threatened a player boycott during the opening day of the Lord’s Test after the broadcaster aired an interview with the sons of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan regarding his deteriorating health.
What began as the opening day of the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s quickly expanded into an extraordinary off-field confrontation. Rather than focusing entirely on cricket, attention shifted to a pre-recorded interview broadcast during the lunch interval. Former England captain and Sky Sports broadcaster Michael Atherton interviewed Imran Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, in the Writers’ Room at Lord’s. The conversation centered squarely on their father’s ongoing imprisonment and deepening health crisis.
The broadcast provoked an immediate and fierce reaction from Pakistan’s cricketing delegation. The Pakistan Cricket Board considered the option of Pakistan not taking the field after the lunch break in protest, infuriated that the network gave the family airtime to air their grievances against the government. Behind the scenes, tense discussions unfolded.
Behind Closed Doors: Tense Negotiations and the Threatened Boycott
As rain extended the lunch break, the diplomatic friction intensified. The Pakistan Cricket Board contacted Sky Sports ahead of the broadcast, warning that Babar Azam’s team might refuse to return to the pitch. The chair of the PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, also serves as Pakistan’s minister of the interior and maintains close ties to the administration.
Sky initially held back the 18-minute segment during the early moments of the break. However, the broadcaster ultimately decided to run the footage. By the time the broadcast concluded, Pakistan’s players were preparing to return to resume the second session at 2:40 PM local time. The England and Wales Cricket Board succeeded in talking the touring party round during negotiations, preventing a complete abandonment of the day’s play.
The controversy extended beyond the stadium gates and into state television. While the series was broadcast in Pakistan via state-run PTV, PTV Sports started running commercials the moment the sneak preview of the interview appeared on screen, effectively blocking local viewers from seeing the coverage.
What Kasim and Sulaiman Khan Told Broadcaster Michael Atherton
During their interview with Atherton, the brothers detailed their profound distress over their father’s confinement. Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023, serving sentences across multiple cases including corruption charges, following his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. His sons stated that they have not seen him in person since 2022.
“It is not very clear what they are doing, just blatantly trying to kill him in there. Keep him in as long as possible and silence him.”
Photo: The Guardian
Kasim Khan, via The Guardian
The brothers also addressed mounting medical concerns, asserting that their father’s health has severely deteriorated. They alleged that he has lost about 80 per cent of the vision in one eye due to months of ignored medical complaints. Sulaiman added that recent family visits revealed visible distress.
“Our fears were confirmed when, instead of being taken to the private hospital, where he was meant to be taken, he was just taken to a government medical facility for a few hours, and then taken straight back to jail.”
International Cricketers Rally Around the Former Captain
The interview coincided with a broader international campaign led by prominent figures in the sport.
PCB Protests Interview of Imran Khan’s Sons During Pakistan-England Test
This latest appeal follows an earlier letter sent in February that received no response from the Pakistan government. Australia captain Pat Cummins also voiced his support on social media, writing that he hoped the court-ordered medical assessment would be allowed to run its course and that Imran Khan would be treated with proper dignity.
Senior Editor, Sport
Luis is a respected sports journalist with several national writing awards. He covers major leagues, global tournaments, and athlete profiles, blending analysis with captivating storytelling.
